Let’s talk books
Highlights from eight months of reading A LOT
A huge part of traveling for me is reading — what else is one to do during the many many hours on busses and trains and planes? During the post-big day downtime? On the beach, after finishing the a hike, or just sitting at a cafe?
I read a lot in normal life, and when traveling I read even more. My most valuable possession at this point is my tablet (an Amazon Fire—sorry but it’s the cheapest!), giving me unlimited access to all the books the DC Public Library has to offer.*
An important PSA for the library app: It. Is. Amazing. Thousands of ebooks available to download for free! All you need is a library card! You can borrow up to nine at a time for three weeks! My God, what a time to be alive. (I love physical books at much as the next bibliophile—I am never not reading something and there is usually a book in my purse—but imagine the weight if I had to carry a multi-month stash in my backpack?)
I have been keeping track of the books I read since 2001 — first in a physical notebook, then on my old blog, and most recently on Goodreads. If you’re interested in the full list since my travels began you can check it out there and if reading-related social media is your jam, feel free to follow me!
Since starting our travels on October 5th, I’ve read 51 books (19,569 pages); that’s about a book and a half per week, over 80 pages a day.
So for now, I wanted to share a random array of recent literary highlights. Also, PLEASE send me your recommendations! I have a lot more traveling and a lot more reading ahead of me.
Best story: The Quick (Lauren Owen)
It’s about vampires! Not my usual genre, but such a good story!
Where I read it: On the Manaslu portion of our Nepal trekking. I distinctly remember a very cold guesthouse after the pass (you could see the outsides through cracks in the walls), cozying up in bed (literally fully inside my sleeping bag) after eating an especially excellent dal bhat that involved wild mushrooms and local greens.
Fantasy: The Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfus)
I am fully obsessed with this vaguely old-timey magical adventure series. It has everything — fast-moving storyline, a main character you can root for, twists and turns and just aaahhh I love it. I’ve read the first two and the whole damn world is waiting for the third.
Where I read it: I started this in Agra on our Taj Mahal day and finished it three days later overlooking the sacred lake in Pushkar.
Short Stories: Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman (Haruki Murakami)
I don’t actually like short stories (it’s not enough time to invest in the story imo), and in many ways Murakami annoys me, but I thought I’d include this on the list since I think likers of short stories would like these.
Where I read it: On the rainiest portion (so 100% read in-tent in-sleeping bag) of our Huayhuash Trek in Peru.
Romance/Thriller: Verity (Colleen Hoover)
This was just a fun time — moderate levels of romance and thrills respectively, and much smarter than you may expect. I am sure this will be made into a movie soon enough.
Where I read it: On the flight on the way to Peru. By some miracle Spirit Airlines got us there.
Inspirational: Bravey (Alexi Pappas)
Get ready to get inspired to chase dreams and achieve goals!
Where I read it: In Nepal on the Annapurna circuit trek. Reading this early on in our travels, and also while I had a lot of time to think as we walked all day every day, actually helped me reframe how I think about my priorities…we’ll see how this plays out when I eventually return to “real life.”
Honorable Mention: Untamed (Glennon Doyle)
Non-Fiction: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone (Lori Gottleib)
This is about a therapist going to therapy and writing about her experience. We should all probably go to therapy.
Where I read it: I started this in California and finished it in Erbil (Iraq). It made me cry a lot.
Reimagining Mythology: Ariadne (Jennifer Saint)
Greek mythology is WILD. I made up this category obviously, but I have read a few books recently that take an old myth or folk story and get creative with it.
Where I read it: In Turkey, about to head to Greece. We actually went to the ruins of Knossos on Crete, the palace of King Minos, father of Ariadne.
Devastating: At Night All Blood is Black (David Diop)
This story is so dark but so poetically and beautifully written. I have no idea how I came across it. Can someone please read this so I can hear what you think?
Where I read it: Right around Thanksgiving, on a particularly gloomy/rainy (read: *atmospheric*) section of the Annapurna Basecamp hike.
Immigrant Tear-Jerkers: No Land to Light On (Yara Zgheib)
I am making this a category because I have somehow read three books that fit into this genre recently. No Land to Light On is a Syrian love story—and also about birds’ migratory patterns—and is beautifully done.
Where I read it: Just me alone on a sunny beach in the Maldives, crying so much between reapplying sunscreen.
Honorable Mentions: American Dirt (Jeanine Cummins) and Behold the Dreamers (Imbolo Mbue)
Young Adult: The Other Merlin (Robyn Schneider)
More feminist King Arthur books??? Yes please always! (I re-read The Mists of Avalon at the beginning of the pandemic — always a good idea.)
Where I read it: In an AirBnB in Beirut, in the company of the grumpiest looking cat (named something like “Tapoush,” which is Arabic for “Fluffy”) as it poured outside.
Memoir: Crazy Brave (Joy Harjo)
The DCPL recommended this in November (Native American Heritage Month), and I am so glad it did! A beautiful poetic story of growing up Native in the US.
Where I read it: Over a couple days in Varanasi, our first stop in India.
Epic: Sacred Games (Vikram Chandra)
This book is pretty accurately described as Indian Charles Dickens: the city (in this case Mumbai) is the main character, there are lots of characters and many tangential stories, plus tons of slang and accented dialog. It got tedious at points but in summation it was excellent.
Where I read it: I actually read this in hard copy, taken from a guesthouse in Nepal, as we traveled India and Sri Lanka.
Currently downloaded, I have All Boys Aren’t Blue (George M. Johnson), The Great Santini (Pat Conroy), Snow in August (Peter Hamill), and Red at the Bone (Jacqueline Woodson). Again, send me your recs! Happy reading everyone!
* Ok so literally a week after drafting this post we got a notification that our library card has to be renewed IN PERSON in the next 30 days. Does anyone have a DCPL account they’re willing to share???